Tuesday 22 April 2014

I hope you all had a safe and blessed Easter and that you didn't over indulge on the chocolate and hot-cross buns. I enjoyed a couple of hot cross buns but there wasn't a single Easter egg to be seen at my place - not sure if I feel deprived or not.  'They' (yip them again) do say chocolate is a fruit so if that's the case it's got to be good for you and therefore should count towards your 5+ a day, or if the researches from Britain are to be believed your 10+ a day.  Hmmmm I feel like chocolate now!!!!

The last 2 weeks have been busy and yet when I look back I'm not exactly sure what with!!

I did give the lawns a haircut, not that it really needed it except to get rid of all the long yellow dandelion flowers. First though I had to collect up all the leaves - my little wheelie bin was full, but I did decide it really was a thankless task as the next day there were more. I must say I am most grateful to the storm that hit us last week Thursday as my front lawn was pretty quickly leaf free and they are now all collected (in a pile even) at the end of my carport - and I didn't have to lift a finger to make it happen.  

We sure did take a hammering last week Thursday - fortunately I didn't sustain to much damage.  Some of the trees look like they've been turned inside out due to the gale force wind but they will eventually bounce back.  A sheet of metal from my front fence came loose and I was very grateful to the neighbour for  rescuing it and storing it somewhere safe away from the wind.  My shade sails also worked themselves loose and I had to brave the wind and of course just at that exact moment the driving rain to get them down before one of the D-rings smashed a window by being flicked about by the wind.  The power was also out for a few hours but came on just in time for dinnertime.

When I look out my lounge window in the distance there is a huge Norfolk Pine tree, that thing was sure bending with the wind and even now it is on a slight lean.  We need a Westerlie to straighten it up again.  The prevailing wind for the Horowhenua is Westerlie so when we get a gale force Easterlie it does quite a bit of damage.  Quite a few fences, sheds and trees came down in the area. The next morning all you could hear was the sound of chainsaws as the clean-up began.  I hope everyone else survived blast of the storm without too much damage.

I take my hat off to the emergency people and the linesmen as they must have been flat out all day if the number of times the siren going off was any indication.

Isn't Autumn a beautiful time of the year??  I love the colours of the leaves on the trees at this time of year - the big tree in my front yard looks like it's on fire with it's red, yellow and orange leaves, so pretty.  Shame that we can't have the beauty of Autumn with the temperature of Summer.  I could do Summer all year round really. These cooler days are not so nice (more clothing layers!) and it means that winter is creeping closer and closer. Dark mornings and dark early at night is also creeping up, along with grey miserable days (maybe). :0(  In case you hadn't guessed yet I'm a sunshine person - love, love the sun!!  I recently did this test thing that is going round on Facebook called 'What flower are you?' and I'm a Sunflower - so there you go, now wonder I love the sun!

Noah came to stay for 3 days/nights last week - his Mama and Papa had some very early starts in the bakery for Easter so Noah came and hung out at Oma's place.  We had a great time and I really enjoyed having him, even if I got very little done.  I did make the most of his nap times to get the odd thing
done and he slept really well at night which meant I did too.  He loves climbing up and down the stairs, he has it all worked out and does it the right way - by the end he was sliding down them.  The cat flap was a great toy and then he discovered the dog door!!!!!  I'm just pleased it hadn't crossed his mind that he would actually be able to fit through it - he just liked putting his hand outside. Hmm note to self - check if he posted any toys out there!!  Noah chatters all the time and although he doesn't really say in words he does copy the sounds you make.  Needless to say taking Noah into Church on Good Friday didn't quite work out as I'd hoped.  I had kept him awake in the hope he'd sleep in Church but no that was definitely not his plan.  He did some singing and then decided it was much more fun to put his fingers in Oma's mouth to stop her from singing.  During the sermon he decided that if the man up the front could talk than so could Noah - he has no concept yet of being quiet.  For the sake of all present I took him out in the hope that a walk might put him to sleep, but that didn't work either.  He did however fall asleep within minutes of being in his car seat for the trip home.
On Saturday afternoon Aimee and Richard came to collect him and I admit I was a bit sad to see him go.  Noah had filled the 'hole' for a few days and when he left I felt a little bit empty. Thankfully the feeling didn't last too long - the therapy was probably putting my lounge back to order by tidying away all the toys and books that were scattered around.  The saying goes - it's nice when they come and it's nice when they go, even if it is just a wee bit sad to see them go.

My sewing machine has been busily working this last week as I received an order for 6 couch cushion covers.  Today I finished them by sewing on the button (30 in total) and tomorrow they will get sent to their new home.  I must say they look awesome.

Work is going really well and I am getting back into the swing of it.  I have applied for another part time position as an office administrator/receptionist.  Yesterday I was asked to come in for a 'chat' so that is sounding promising.  I'll keep you posted.

I am now at home after a pretty hairy trip from Palmy - I've never driven through a thunder storm before.  It was pouring with rain, there was almost as much water on the road as there was coming out of the sky.  To add to the 'party' there was flashes of lightening - like someone was flashing a camera.  Very distracting.  I got to Levin to find what looked like piles of snow (hail actually) on the side of the road and in the paddocks and heaps of flooding.  At home I found that I had water in my garage - a first in all the years I've lived in this house and a very upset dog.  The water in the garage isn't too bad - the rubber mat is pretty wet, but will dry out and some boxes with electrical 'stuff' were wet so I moved the stuff into new boxes and binned the wet ones.  I swept  as much of the water out of the garage as I could - I now have a wet but clean garage floor.  Every cloud.............!!  It sounds like the neighbour behind me has had much more flooding as I can hear a pumping machine running.  The water probably ran down my drive through my property and into his :0(  Oops!!


This photo was taken tonight of the street behind my place - the driver obviously didn't realise how deep it was as he came down the hill!!  He was unhurt thankfully - just very wet and cold.

Well I'm calling it a night and signing off.

Till next time.

Love and blessings
Jolanda



Monday 7 April 2014

I have a bit of a heavy heart at the moment. Goodbyes are so hard.  I have just had a lovely weekend in Hastings along with my Mum and Dad, my sister and her daughter, we had wonderful family time but it was so hard and sad to say goodbye to Ryan, Ineke and Inge knowing that I won't be seeing them again for a long time - well December actually as they plan to be back then for the wedding of one of Ineke's brothers.  Funny really for although it feels like the year is flying by - we're a quarter of the way through already - yet December seems so far away. On Sunday afternoon the goodbyes were said, the tears flowed, the hugs and cuddles were given and the last waves were waved and just like that life has changed - again.  So for a few days I'll be a bit sad when I think about them and probably the actual departure day later this month will be hard but I know for a fact that they are safe in the Lord's hands and that He has plans for them and for me.  And I pray that one day I'll  be financial enough to be able to go and visit should they still be living in England but that too I leave in the Lord's hands.

In the meantime I will enjoy the blessings I have - my handsome wee man Noah who has just learnt to give kisses and loves to share them and the arrival of new grandchild in June, maybe even a trip or 2 down to Christchurch will be on the cards soon too.  We'll see.

These past 2 weeks have been pretty busy - I got my mortgage all sorted with the bank and am happy with what they have been able to offer me as a longstanding customer.  I have also sorted out my house insurance and now also have content insurance.  Roy had canceled our policy a number of years ago because he reckoned we had nothing of value to insure, but I decided to take it out again although only a small one just so at least I get something should I loose the whole lot.

I have had some quotes to get the car fixed and it is looking to be a pricier job than I'd thought - not that I know a lot about these things.  It looks like I'll be putting in an insurance claim, but first I need to save some money to cover the excess that I'll have to pay.  Thankfully I don't loose my no claims bonus as I have one for life - that is a blessing. The car is costing me a bit at the moment - it needed 2 litres of oil before I went to Hastings (note to self to check this a bit more regularly) and now it has blown a headlight bulb. If it's not one thing it's another :0(

The other thing I've done since I last wrote was make a trip down to Wellington with my Mum and Dad for the opening after the alterations to the Reformed Church of Wellington building.  All I can say is amazing!!  The building looks amazing.  What a difference and what an improvement. What I was amazed about was how small the actual footprint of the stage in the upstairs hall was - it always seemed so much bigger when we were using it for Sunday School plays.  It was wonderful to be able to catch up with Wellington church friends (many who are more like family than just dear friends) and we also popped in to see my sis and her family before heading home.  Thank goodness I don't go to Wellington for the weather as it's never so great when I seem to be there, but it really was a wonderful day out.

I  have had good news on the job front.  The funding has finally come through for the job I was doing in the later part of last year and I start again on Wednesday. It is still only one half day a week but I am so pleased to be starting again.  I have also contacted the lady from Group Special Ed, I used to do Teacher Aide work for them before Roy got sick.  She is going to get all the forms sent out that need to be filled in and then I'll be on their books again should something appropriate come up.  As jobs come up that appeal I apply for them and eventually I'll get the one that is just perfect for me - whatever that might be.  In the meantime I trust that the Lord will supply all my needs - spiritually, emotionally, financially and physically.

I was reading an article last week in which the author talked about being in the 'in between' time.  I like the sound of that and I think that's where I'm at at the moment.  The 'in between' is the waiting time - we know something is going to happen but we're just not sure when and sometimes even what!  I think most of us are probably in the 'in between' of something right now.  In fact that's life - it's lots of 'in between' times all joined together.  But for those of us who believe in the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we are definitely in the 'in between' for our hearts desire is to spend eternity for our Lord and Saviour and yet we wait here on earth for that time to come.

The 'in between' time is actually a hard time as we're not really all that good at waiting on the Lord, we tend to get a bit antsy, we want to be in control.  What we're very good at is getting impatient and grumbling.  We want to know right now what the future holds for us and what the Lord's plans are for our lives. Can't He spell it all out for us in black and white!!??  Can't we make a few suggested about how we'd like it to be??!!  I know I'd sure like to know what my future holds - what job does He have planned for me, will I live where I'm living forever, will my business continue to grow, will I live alone for the rest of my life, how many grandchild will I have??????  Thankfully the future belongs to the Lord and He will reveal it when His time is right.  He is faithful, He keeps His promises and He looks after His family.  Even so the 'in between' is not about sitting back on our hands and 'waiting' for something to happen, we need to be an active part of the process.  We need to step outside our comfort zone, we need to live lives that reflect the Lord we serve and love.  We need to be actively striving towards our goals - accepting the doors that are closed, we pray, we knock and we wait for new doors to open.

Well I think that's about it for now.  I must say I am feeling a bit tired - the extra hours sleep with the change in daylight saving hasn't actually helped, mind you I did do a lot of driving this weekend - not that I minded but it is tiring.  I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.  Hmmmmm does that mean I'm getting old and set in my ways??????????

Till next time.

Love and blessings
Jolanda